(1) Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a production apparatus that performs one procedure in a mounting line for mounting electronic components on a circuit board, and a control method and a control program for the production apparatus.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, electronic component mounting systems are used to perform the work of mounting electronic components. FIG. 1 shows an outline of an electronic component mounting line. Components are mounted on a circuit board which is sent from a solder printer 21 upstream and is successively processed as it is sent downstream. The solder printer 21 prints solder on a circuit board 24, and discharges the circuit board 24 to a conveyer belt 23. After an electronic component mounting device 11 accepts the circuit board 24 from the conveyor belt 23, it mounts electronic components on the circuit board 24 and discharges the circuit board to the conveyor belt 23. A detection device 31, after accepting the circuit board 24 from the conveyor belt 23, detects the circuit board 24.
However, sometimes irregularities occur in a production apparatus which is part of the component mounting process line. These irregularities include components or solder running out, unit breakdowns and errors by the conveyor belt carrying the circuit board. As a result, the circuit board may fail to be accepted from upstream or discharged downstream. In such cases, an operator discovers the irregularity and restores the system or turns the power off.
However, the units in the production apparatus continue to operate even if the mounting process ceases, meaning that power is consumed wastefully.
In view of the above-described problems, the objective of the present invention is to provide a production apparatus which prevents wasteful consumption of power automatically and promptly when processing is not being performed because a circuit board does not flow normally in a component mounting line.
As is clear from the above explanation, the present invention is a production apparatus that performs one procedure in a mounting line for mounting electronic components to a circuit board, including a judgment unit for judging, after preparation by the production apparatus for possible accepting of a circuit board from an upstream production apparatus is complete, whether there is a circuit board to be accepted from the upstream production apparatus; and a control unit for controlling so that energy consumption by the production apparatus is reduced, when the judgment unit judges that there is no circuit board to be accepted.
According to the stated construction, when an irregularity occurs in an upstream production apparatus and there is no circuit board to be accepted by the production apparatus, the production apparatus reduces its power consumption. As a result, power is not consumed wastefully when the mounting process is not being performed.
Here, the production apparatus may further include a reception unit for receiving a first signal from the upstream production apparatus that notifies that preparation for possible discharging of a circuit board from the upstream production apparatus is complete, the judgment unit judging, if the first signal is not received after the preparation for possible discharging of a circuit board from the upstream production apparatus is complete, that there is no circuit board to be accepted.
According to the stated construction, it can be judged highly reliably and promptly when a signal notifying completion of preparation to discharge a circuit board is not accepted from the upstream apparatus, that there is a high probability that there is some kind of irregularity in the upstream production apparatus and that there is no circuit board to be accepted.
Here, the judgment unit may judge, when a circuit board has not been accepted by the production apparatus within a predetermined time after the preparation for possible accepting of a circuit from the upstream production apparatus is complete, that there is no circuit board to be accepted.
According to the stated construction, it can be judged highly reliably and promptly when a circuit board is not actually accepted within a predetermined time after preparation for accepting is complete, that there is a high probability that there is some kind of irregularity in the upstream production apparatus and that there is no circuit board to be accepted.
Here, the production apparatus further includes a plurality of controllers, and the control unit stops power supply to the controllers successively in ascending order of time required for warming tip, after the preparation for possible accepting of a circuit board is complete.
According to the stated construction, power supply is stopped successively starting with the control component which requires the shortest time for warming up, therefore when the line recovers to its normal state, the mounting process can be resumed promptly.
Here, the control unit has a central processing unit, and reduces a clock frequency supplied to the central processing un it in response to a result of judgment by the judgment unit.
According to the stated construction, rather than stopping power supply to the control components, the clock frequency of the CPU of the controller itself is set to a slow speed, meaning that consumed power can be further reduced.
Furthermore, the present invention is a production apparatus that performs one process in a mounting line for mounting electronic components to a circuit board, including a judgment unit for judging, after preparation by the production apparatus for possible discharging of a circuit board to a downstream production apparatus is complete, whether there is an irregularity in a line which is to carry the circuit board to the downstream production apparatus, and a control unit for controlling so that energy consumption by the production apparatus is reduced, when the judgment unit judges that there is an irregularity in a line which is to carry the circuit board to the downstream production apparatus.
According to this, when irregularities in the conveying system such as in the conveyor belt occur, and the production apparatus cannot discharge the circuit board, the production apparatus reduces the amount of power it consumes, therefore wasteful use of power can be prevented when the mounting process is not taking place.
Here, the judgment unit judges that there is an irregularity in a line which is to carry the circuit board to the downstream production apparatus when the production apparatus does not discharge the circuit board within a predetermined time after the preparation by the production apparatus for possible discharging of a circuit board to a downstream production apparatus is complete.
According to the stated construction, when a circuit board is not discharged within a predetermined time after completion of preparation to discharge the circuit board, it can be judged with high reliably that there is a high possibility that an irregularity has occurred in, for instance, the conveying system, and that the production apparatus cannot discharge a circuit board.
Furthermore, the present invention is a production apparatus that performs one procedure in a mounting line for mounting electronic components to a circuit board, including a judgment unit for judging, after preparation by the production apparatus for possible discharging of a circuit board to a downstream production apparatus is complete, whether the downstream production apparatus can accept the circuit board, and a control unit for controlling so that energy consumption by the production apparatus is reduced, when the judgment unit judges that the downstream production apparatus cannot accept the circuit board.
According to the stated construction, when an irregularity occurs in a downstream production apparatus, and the downstream apparatus cannot discharge a circuit board, the production apparatus reduces the amount of power it consumes, therefore wasteful use of power can be prevented when the mounting process is not taking place.
Here, the production apparatus further includes a reception unit for receiving a first signal from the downstream production apparatus that notifies that preparation for possible accepting of the circuit board by the downstream production apparatus is complete, the judgment unlit judging, if the first signal is not received after the preparation for possible discharging of the circuit board from the upstream production apparatus is complete, that the downstream production apparatus cannot accept the circuit board.
According to the stated construction, it can be judged highly reliably and promptly, when a signal notifying completion of preparation to discharge a circuit board is not accepted from the upstream apparatus, that there is a high probability that there is some kind of irregularity in the upstream production apparatus and that there is no circuit board to be accepted.
Furthermore, the present invention is a production apparatus that performs one procedure in a mounting line for mounting electronic components to a circuit board, including a reception unit for receiving an instruction signal from a another production apparatus on the mounting line instructing a reduction of energy consumption, and a control unit for controlling, when the instruction signal is received, the reduction of energy consumption by the apparatus.
According to the stated construction, when an irregularity is sensed in another apparatus and the flow of the circuit board is stopped, the production apparatus reduces the amount of power it consumes, therefore wasteful use of power can be prevented.
Furthermore, the present invention is a production apparatus that performs one procedure in a mounting line for mounting electronic components to a circuit board, including a detection unit for detecting an irregularity in one of the procedures in the mounting line, and a transmission unit for transmitting, when the detection unit detects an irregularity, an instruction signal instructing a reduction in energy consumption to another production apparatus on the mounting line.
According to the stated construction, when the flow of a circuit board is stopped as a result of an irregularity in the production apparatus or any of the other production apparatuses in the production line, the production apparatus sends a signal to the other production apparatuses to reduce power consumed, therefore wasteful use of power by other apparatuses can be prevented. Furthermore, when a critical irregularity occurs and recovery does not seem likely, it is possible to turn all the apparatuses off.